Homeschool Day Camps
We’re so excited to introduce NEW Homeschool full day camps at Discovery Centre!
| PRICING |
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| TIMING | Sign in: 8:00 – 9:30 am
Camp programming 9:00 am – 3:30 pm Sign out 3:30 – 5:00 pm |
October 15
Health Heroes Intermediate Camp – Ages 8-10
Become a Discovery Centre Health Hero! Campers will explore the amazing world of microbes and discover how these tiny organisms can help or harm our bodies. Through fun, hands-on science activities, campers will learn how our bodies stay healthy, how germs spread, and what we can do to protect ourselves and others.
December 10
Zooming Zoologists Junior Camp – Ages 5-7
Welcome to zoology, the study of animals! Through hands-on activities, campers will learn about animal structures and how they fit into their natural environments. To finish off the day, campers will explore the world’s six biomes and their fun animals within!
January 14
DNA Detectives Intermediate Camp – Ages 8-10
Put on your detective hat, grab your magnifying glass, and prepare to uncover the secrets hidden inside every living thing! Through exciting experiments, hands-on activities, and educator-led demonstrations, campers will explore the incredible world of DNA, the tiny code that makes each of us unique. We’ll discover how DNA stores and passes on genetic information, how it influences our traits, and why no two people are exactly alike. Then, it’s time to put our detective skills to the test as we investigate a mystery and solve a crime using real forensic DNA techniques!
February 25
Many Minds, One World Junior Camp – Ages 5-7
Get ready to embark on an exciting journey into the most powerful tool you’ll ever own: your brain! Campers will tackle logic puzzles, sensory challenges, memory games, and teamwork activities as they uncover what makes their minds uniquely their own. We will also learn how people with different thinking styles bring unique talents and perspectives to the world. Together, we’ll celebrate the fact that different minds make our communities stronger, kinder, and more creative!
May 6
Sound Scientists – Ages 8-10
Do you hear that? It’s the Discovery Centre calling, inviting you to join a sound safari. Learn all about the science of sound and music, from how sounds get made to how sound travels. We will even explore how various sounds affect our human bodies! Our educators are ready to get loud and get musical with all campers during this fun–and noisy– day of science exploration.
May 20
Deep Sea Divers – Ages 5-7
Welcome to the Deep Sea, where campers will act as oceanographers to explore the world’s oceans. Campers will visualize the harm of ocean pollutants through an educator-led demonstration. With this demo, they will learn to become ocean stewards and spot signs of pollution in the oceans in a hands-on activity, and finally, campers will create their own ocean gadgets to view the ocean floor!
Workshops
Enhance your homeschooler’s learning by participating in one of our specialized homeschool programs. Learners will get the opportunity to take part in interactive, educational workshops and explore the exhibits at Discovery Centre. Led by our Science Educators, we offer a variety of themes throughout the year. Program dates will be added throughout the year so please continue to check this page.
| PRICING |
Cost is per session, per child and includes workshop or dome show and admission to the Centre for the day for ONE child and ONE adult. |
| AGE RANGES | 5-7 years, 8-10 years & 11+ years |
September 24, 2026
Once Upon a Worm – Ages 5-7
10:00 – 11:00 am
Learn what it’s like to live like a worm! Dive into the life of a composting worm to learn about their senses and what they need to grow, survive, and thrive in their environment. Guided by our science educators, learners will work in small groups to observe, and if comfortable, handle live Red Wiggler worms before taking their own action to support the health of the worms and our environment.
We’re Wheely Moving- Ages 8-10
10:00 – 11:00 am
How can I build an object that moves? How can I change how an object moves? Learners explore these questions as they complete two engineering challenges in this fast-paced, motion-packed workshop. Learners are encouraged to think about purpose, design, and the factors that effect motion, as they build and launch their own gravity and wind-powered cars.
Dome Theatre No Escape: Black Holes – Ages 11+
10:00 – 10:30 am
Presenter-led Experience – The Universe is home to many interstellar curiosities, but black holes are some of the weirdest! Ever wondered what would happen to you if you fell into a black hole? Why are black holes black and where do they come from? Allow yourself to be pulled in as we explore the mysteries and science of black holes!
November 26, 2026
Dome Theatre Our Place in Space – Ages 5-7
10:00 – 10:30 am
Presenter-led Experience – In this show, our destinations are Jupiter and Saturn, the two largest planets in our Solar System! Surf the icy rings of Saturn or even catch a glimpse of stormy Jupiter’s “Great Red Spot.” Uncover how these gas giants came to be and what scientists have learned about similar giants beyond our cosmic neighbourhood!
Acoustic Adventure – Ages 8-10
10:00 – 11:00 am
Croak, hiss, peck, buzz – join us on a roaring road trip! Listen carefully as we explore the science behind the sounds of wildlife from across Canada! Feel the vibrations, make some noise, and experience how sound waves travel through different states of matter. Learners will be inspired by nature to try out the science for themselves using everyday objects and finally create their own musical instrument.
Electric Odyssey- Ages 11-13
10:00 – 11:00 am
Explore current static electricity in this jam-packed 1-hour workshop. Groups of students are challenged to hook up simple, series and parallel circuits on our circuit boards. Students get an up-close look at how positive static electricity can be with the Van de Graaff generator.
Safety Advisory: Although the Van de Graaff generator produces a very low current, it may cause problems with people who have heart problems or a pacemaker and can affect electronic devices. It’s recommended that anyone with heart conditions, pacemakers, or electronic medical devices such as insulin pumps, and or cochlear implants, avoid close proximity and contact with the Van de Graff generator.
January 28, 2027
Storm Structures – Ages 5-7
10:00 – 11:00 am
Working in small groups, learners are challenged to build a structure to weather a rainstorm and keep their paper person dry. Learners will investigate various reused and reusable materials while thoughtfully considering the responsibility of respecting materials to reduce waste and live sustainably.
Dome Show – Mission: Discovery – Ages 8-10
10:00 – 10:30 am
Presenter-led Experience – A source of inspiration, cultural lore and a sight to behold, the Moon has always captured the human imagination. Explore the possibilities in a new era of space exploration with the Artemis Missions, humankind’s ambitious and innovative journey BACK to the Moon! Soar through space and get an up-close look at the Moon, ground-breaking rocketry and the people behind this historical moment as we boldly go where few have gone before!
Background Biodiversity – Ages 11+
10:00 – 11:00 am
Enter the wonderful world of nature with this look into the ecosystems of Nova Scotia! Learners will work in small groups to uncover the intricate connections between organisms and then are introduced to biological classification by building their own 3-D cladogram, based on traits they observe.
February 4, 2027
We’re Wheely Moving – Ages 5-7
10:00 – 11:00 am
How can I build an object that moves? How can I change how an object moves? Learners explore these questions as they complete two engineering challenges in this fast-paced, motion-packed workshop. Learners are encouraged to think about purpose, design, and the factors that effect motion, as they build and launch their own gravity and wind-powered cars.
Bridging the Gap – Ages 8-10
10:00 – 11:00 am
Participants explore the art and science of architecture by learning about different bridge designs. Working in small teams, students will construct their own mini bridges in response to a design challenge, putting their knowledge and new learning to the test!
Dome Theatre Film – Antartica – Ages 11-13
10:00 – 10:30 am
Antarctica is a land of mystery and yet what happens here affects us all. It’s the coldest, driest, and windiest place on Earth, but wonderful creatures thrive here in abundance. Swim alongside playful seals, soar above vast penguin colonies and witness the largest group of fin and humpback whales ever filmed. Although so remote from us, Antarctica and its surrounding Southern Ocean play avital role for the entire planet, regulating ocean currents, sea levels and sequestering huge amounts of carbon. It will take global cooperation and collaboration to protect Antarctica and ensure the future health of our planet.
April 15, 2027
Dome Theatre film 3-2-1 LiftOff! – Ages 5-7
10:00 – 10:30 am
One day, Alan the hamster finds a burnt crater in his garden and a broken robot inside the crater. He fixes the robot and discovers that she has fallen from her ship, which is still circling the Earth. But how to get the robot back into space? The suspenseful story takes the viewer to extraordinary places and answers many scientific questions.
May the Forces Be With You – Ages 8-10
10:00 – 11:00 am
Invisible forces are all around us! Through hands-on exploration with magnets and a shockingly, hair-raising experience with the Van de Graaff Generator, learners will discover that magnetic and static forces involve the pushes and pulls of repulsion and attraction.
Safety Advisory: Although the Van de Graaff generator produces a very low current, it may cause problems with people who have heart problems or a pacemaker and can affect electronic devices. It’s recommended that anyone with heart conditions, pacemakers, or electronic medical devices such as insulin pumps, and or cochlear implants, avoid close proximity and contact with the Van de Graff generator.
Heat Smart – Ages 11-13
10:00 – 11:00 am
Let’s get some appreciation for insulation! This workshop challenges learners to apply knowledge of construction materials, heat transfer and capacity to construct the most heat efficient building. Together, we will evaluate the structures like an energy efficiency inspector. Learners will go on to consider how they can apply this knowledge in their own lives to save energy.
Registration
Pre-Registration and pre-payment is required for all home school programs.
Arrival and Departure
Please check in at the front desk when you arrive and find out the location of your program. Learners are asked to line up outside of the program space 5 minutes before the program begins. Chaperones are required to stay on-site for the duration of the visit and program but are not able to attend the program with their child(ren).
One free adult admission is provided with each registered child. Homeschool program participants are welcome to enjoy the Centre before and after their workshop.
Refund policy
Cancellations must be received 14 days prior to the registered session to receive a full refund less a $5 cancellation fee. Medical reasons that are not supported by a doctor’s note will be determined on a case by case basis. Within 14-21 days of initial request, refunds will be processed. We are unable to provide refunds for latecomers or no-shows.